Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for automated analysis and, more particularly, to an apparatus and method for automated chemical analysis wherein analytes are diluted.
Description of Related Art
A biochemical analyzer for analyzing biogenic substances contained in an analyte, such as blood or urine, is known as one type of automated analyzer. In this biochemical analyzer, in order to make concentrations of analytes lie within a measurement range, each analyte is diluted using physiological salt solution or deionized water.
A structure for diluting each analyte within a dilution pod mounted, for example, near an analyte aliquotting mechanism has been proposed as one automated analyzer wherein such dilution operations are performed. In this case, an analyte is aspirated by a probe from an analyte container conveyed into a given position on an analyte transport mechanism, and is dispensed into the dilution pod. A diluent is fed from a dilution bottle, and the analyte is diluted inside the pod. The dilution bottle has a tube which extends to the outside and which is in fluid communication with the dilution pod. The diluent is fed into the dilution pod by means of a pump or syringe through the tube. The analyte mechanism sucks an aliquot portion of each analyte diluted in the dilution pod and dispenses the analytes into reaction vessels, thus aliquotting the analyte (see JP-A-2010-54232).
In the automated analyzer involving the aforementioned dilution operations, however, an operation for aliquotting an analyte, which has been diluted in the single dilution pod, into reaction containers is performed consecutively for plural analytes. Therefore, the dilution pod is cleaned whenever an aliquotting operation is performed. However, if cleaning is not done sufficiently, the previously analyzed analyte remains in the dilution pod as it is. The remaining analyte mixes with an analyte next supplied into the dilution pod. This raises the concern that contamination is caused by so-called carry-over.